The invention relates to a pipe clamp for attaching a specific portion of a pipe in which fuel or break fluid flows to a floor panel of an automobile, a wall of an engine room, and the like.
When a pipe in which fuel or break fluid flows with pulsating is installed on a floor panel of an automobile, a wall of an engine room, and the like, a pipe clamp formed of a synthetic resin is used for attaching a specific portion of the pipe. It is preferred that such a pipe clamp is easy to install and has a strong holding force. Further, the pipe clamp preferably has a structure in which sound or vibration is not transmitted to a car body.
In order to increase a force for holding a pipe, the pipe clamp is preferably formed of a hard material with relatively high rigidity. On the other hand, in order to improve the vibration-proof property, the pipe clamp is preferably formed of a soft material with high elasticity. Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-295585 has disclosed a clamp with high vibration-proof property to meet such a trade-off property. In the clamp, a housing to be attached to a car body is formed of a hard material, and a pipe holding portion for holding a pipe is formed of a soft material.
In the conventional pipe clamp, in order to hold a plurality of pipes, it is necessary to provide a plurality of pipe holding portions corresponding to the number of pipes in a single housing. Accordingly, the number of parts and manufacturing steps increase in proportion to the number of pipes.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a pipe clamp having a high holding force and good vibration-proof property without increasing the number of parts and manufacturing steps.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.